Mock Draft Watch 6.0

The sixth edition of Mock Draft Watch – a rundown of the latest mock drafts compiled by Buffalobills.com via local and national NFL reporters.

March 19 – SI.com, Don BanksNo. 9 – T Taylor Lewan, MichiganNorth Carolina tight end Eric Ebron or Texas A&M receiver Mike Evans might be tempting as big-play targets, but the Bills would be wise to make sure they have better protection for injury-prone second-year quarterback EJ Manuel than he experienced as a rookie. Lewan could be a rock-solid Day 1 starter at right tackle, or on the left if the Bills shift Cordy Glenn to the right side. Lewan has the aggressive and physical style of play that ex-line coach Doug Marrone, now the Bills head coach, can truly appreciate.

March 18 – Yahoo Sports, Eric EdholmNo. 9 – T Jake Matthews, Texas A&MThis would be a home-run pick after, frankly, a B-minus free agent period. I loved the Anthony Dixon signing, and Brandon Spikes and Corey Graham can help. But Chris Williams? Too expensive for me. One way to make me forget about that signing would be to draft Matthews, a player Doug Marrone can really appreciate and put to good use, making the entire line a better group in the process. Instant upgrade at right tackle and a 10-year starter waiting to happen. I like him better coming out than I did Luke Joeckel, the No. 2 overall pick last year.

March 17 – CBS Sports, Rob RangNo. 9 – T Jake Matthews, Texas A&MIn head coach Doug Marrone's first season at the helm, he showed off his preference for a ball-control attack, making controlling the line of scrimmage paramount to success. With three of his four seasons as a starter coming at right tackle, Matthews could step into a position of concern for the Bills and provide an immediate impact. Powerful, technically sound and capable of starring at virtually any position along the offensive line, he's as pro-ready as it gets and a steal if available at this point.

March 17 – SB Nation, Dan KadarNo. 9 – T Taylor Lewan, MichiganThere is considerable buzz that Lewan won't drop out of the top 10 picks in the draft. In a scenario where the draft's top two offensive tackles go in the top five picks, it makes sense. Buffalo's top goal should be finding a way to keep quarterback E.J. Manuel upright. While Lewan almost exclusively played left tackle for Michigan, he did line up on the right side occasionally in stacked packages. He should be fine moving over, giving the Bills a nice pairing with Cordy Glenn. There is enough quality depth at wide receiver to wait on the position until the second round.

Other options: OLB Anthony Barr, TE Eric Ebron, WR Mike Evans

March 14 – CBS Sports, Pat KirwanNo. 9 – T Taylor Lewan, MichiganDoug Marrone is a line coach by trade and he knows the value of a big left tackle with a nasty streak. EJ Manuel will be a better QB with Lewan on the field.

March 13 – ESPN, Mel KiperNo. 9 – T Taylor Lewan, MichiganI like Cordy Glenn, but protection was still a problem for the Bills last year, so I have them placing a higher priority on keeping EJ Manuel upright and shifting their attention to the deep class of wide receivers in Round 2 or 3. I've said more than once that I think Lewan could have graded out as the top tackle last year if he chose to enter the draft, and while he has the prototypical length as a pass-blocker, he really gets after it as a run-blocker.

March 12 – Sporting News, Eric GalkoNo. 9 – TE Eric Ebron, UNCIf the Bills want to give EJ Manuel the chance to succeed in the NFL, they’ll need to keep providing him with weapons in the passing game. If Sammy Watkins is available, he’d be the pick. But right now, the Bills don’t have a high-impact mid-field pass catcher, and Ebron is a complete pass catcher who can be Manuel’s safety valve for years.